The Maldives and India have recently discussed strengthening their cooperation in the defence and security domains. During a meeting between Mariya Ahmed Didi, Maldives Minister of Defence, and Rajnath Singh, India’s Minister of Defence, the two leaders discussed a wide range of regional and global security issues of mutual concern.
The ministers reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and security in the region and recognised the need to work together to address common security challenges. They also highlighted the significance of respecting international law and the rules-based international order and expressed their commitment to upholding these principles.
Furthermore, the ministers welcomed the progress made in ongoing defence cooperation between the two neighbours, including joint exercises and exchanges of visits by military officials. They also noted the importance of sharing best practices and expertise in areas such as counterterrorism, disaster management, cybersecurity, and maritime security.
The ministers also discussed the need to promote people-to-people contacts and exchanges between the armed forces of both countries, in addition to exploring new avenues for cooperation, such as defence trade, capacity building, and joint exercises. These discussions come in the context of both countries’ shared interests and concerns about regional and global security challenges and their commitment to working together to address them.
